In his recent role in the film ‘Emily The Criminal’ Theo Rossi talks more about his impactful character Youcef and what he hopes it will mean to the audience.
Alongside co-star Aubrey Plaza, Theo Rossi plays a criminal named Youcef. The film follows a young woman who is desperate to pay off her lingering student debt by turning to the illegal criminal black-market capitalism, by purchasing goods with stolen credit cards. With the assistance of Youcef, he helps Emily in navigating her way smoothly in the criminal world and plots furthermore to bring their business to a higher level in Los Angeles. However, to Theo, Youcef is described as much more than a thief. A multi-layered character who is compassionate, willing to help others and possessing other good traits despite his actions on the surface level being evil. In this interview Theo discusses furthermore about what he enjoyed most about playing his character, and what he feels the audience will get most out of him.
Theo has starred in other esteemed projects such as and currently on “True Story” on Netflix with Kevin Hart and Wesley Snipes, Army of the Dead, Dear Zoe another independent film, ‘Lowriders’ with Eva Longoria, Lionsgate film ‘Vault’, and another Netflix release ‘Rattlesnake’. Rossi is also well known for playing the character Shades on Luke Cage, as well as the character Juice, on FX’s cultural phenomenon “Sons of Anarchy”.
The Knockturnal: Talk to us more about your character Youcef. What have you learned about him?
Theo Rossi: The main thing I learned about Youcef was what I’ve kind of always known, but it definitely brought more to my attention. And the research of him is that sometimes we’re thrusted into these things like a family business, in his case, it’s crime. But, you know, in others it could be an auto parts store, or a supermarket, or a corporate job that your brother or father works in. And that you get caught in this while you have other dreams outside of it. And that sometimes you need something that spurs that to, or, pushes you towards something else. In this case, when Youcef meets Emily, it pushes him in another direction where he starts thinking about, you know, wanting to help his mom get out of what he’s doing with the credit cards, doing something different with his life. And I mean, and ultimately it doesn’t end up fantastic for him, but it shows that sometimes we’re putting these positions that we don’t necessarily want to be in and it takes a really big event to get us out of them.
The Knockturnal: What did you like about your character Youcef? What was your favorite trait?
Theo Rossi: He’s compassionate. My favorite trait is that he loves his mom. He wants more, he has big dreams. He’s always looking for something bigger and better. He’s striving, you know? He’s not just because he’s in this position and he’s making money. He’s not stagnant. He wants to keep moving. He wants to do more. So that’s what always impressed me about him. He wanted more for his life, which I think we all do, but sometimes it’s hard to see how to do it, especially nowadays.
The Knockturnal: In your opinion do you feel that Youcef would be a fan favorite or a least favorite character?
Theo Rossi: Oh, for sure, a fan favorite! I think he’s a good person. And I think as you get to know him more, you feel for him and you kind of relate to him. I think that there is a relatability. And when you relate to people on screen and you kind of go through the journey with them, you feel more compassion for them.
The Knockturnal: What are some other ways you feel that the audience will best connect with Youcef?
Theo Rossi: I think it’s through, again — sometimes we get led down roads that are in our own doing thereby either family or circumstance or, past situations that have put us in the current one. A lot of us aren’t chasing our bliss or the things that make us happy. We’re just stuck. And I think that the way they relate to him is “stuck” of it and him trying to move out of it. I think we all have felt that way or currently do feel that way in our own lives.
The Knockturnal: What are you most looking forward to during the premiere of ‘Emily The Criminal’?
Theo Rossi: Just for people to see it. We premiered at Sundance and when these things come out, you just really want other people to see it. You want to hear what people think, you want to hear the conversation around it. You wanna show it to the world. The reason I’m even in this racket is because I’m a court jester. I want to entertain people. I want people to see what I’m doing. I don’t want to do it in a vacuum. So anytime you have something that comes out, you just want to see others’ reactions to it, because you’re not doing it for yourself, you’re doing it for others, you know? So, I just want people to enjoy it or not enjoy it, but whatever they feel, I just want ’em to see it.
“Emily the Criminal” will premiere on Friday, August 12th, exclusively in select theaters.
